Truss



April 22,'1941-- J. H. MERGEHENN ET AL 2,239,615

TRUSS Filed April 24, 1940 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 TRUS S .lohn H. Mergehenn, Catonsville, and Adolph Mergehenn, Baltimore, Md. I

Application April 24, 1940, serial No. 361,463`

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trusses.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a truss wherein the body band portion thereof substantially over the entire rear side comprises an elastic belt so that a person wearing the truss may lie in bed with the same in position on the body without any discomiiture at the back of the body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a truss of the foregoing character wherein a metal frame of elastic character and carrying the truss pad is of a length to extend partly around the hips of the wearer and terminate at opposite sides of the back portion to provide the desired rigidity to the truss at the front side thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a truss comprising a leather covered metal frame carrying the truss pad and a back elastic band or strap.

It is a further and important object of the invention to provide a truss of the foregoing character wherein opposite ends of the leather covered metal frame forming the front side of the truss have opposite ends thereof slightly directed upwardly to produce an elevating movement of the back elastic strap during assembly of the front and rear sections of the truss and eliminating hand manipulation of the rear elastic strap to raise the same to the desired position relative to the waist line and hips of the wearer.

'With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of va truss constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational View;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing a pocket at one end of the elastic strap for the reception of the adjacent end of the front leather covered metallic frame of the truss;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing the end of the leather covered metallic'front section disposed within the pocket of the rear elastic strap member; and

Figures 6 and 7 are front and side views respectively of the resilient metallic strip forming a part of the pad carrying front section of the truss.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the truss comprises a pad carrying front section, design-ated in general by the reference character I0 and a rear band section Il. The pad carrying front section I0 comprises a resilient metallic strip of generally serpentine design having a downwardly arched portion I2 intermediate the ends thereof, merging at opposite ends into upwardly arched lateral portions I3 and downwardly extending side or end portions I4. The resilient metallic strip is provided with a leather sheathing or covering I5 and said covering is retained thereon by stitching I6. Pads I1 of any preferred vcharacter are conventionally connected to the front section I0 of the truss as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. For purposes presently to appear, a strap buckle I8 is attached as at I'9 -to the outer side of the front section I0 of the truss at points approximating the curved hip-engaging portions of the front section of the truss as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The rear section Il of the truss comprises an elastic band 20 and said band 20 at opposite ends thereof has leather strap walls 2| secured to the outer sides thereof by longitudinal stitch lines 22 adjacent opposite side edges of the strap walls as shown in Figure 3, this arrangement providing the channel 24, shown in Figure 4. A buckle strap 25 having perforations 26 therein extends from the outer strap wall 2| and is intended for association with the adjacent buckle I8 carried by the front section of the truss.

In mounting the truss upon the body of the wearer, opposite ends of the front section I2 are placed in the front open ends of the channels 24, the buckle straps 25 then being passed through the loop of the buckles I8 and a pull upon said buckle straps 25 will cause opposite ends of the front section Ill of' the truss to be moved into the channels 24 distances controlled by the wearer to obtain proper tension or engagement of the truss with the body. During movements of the opposite ends of the front section I0 of the truss into said channels 24, the downwardly extending ends I4 of the resilient metallic strip with the leather covering I5 thereon will act upon vthe walls of the channels 24 to eifect slight upward movement of the rear elastic band 20 so that upon tightening of the buckle strap, the elastic band 20 will be raised over the back of the wearer to the desired and comfortable position for the wearing of the truss. In other words, when the buckle straps are tightened, the channel portions at the ends of the band 20 will ride upwardly on the downwardly directed ends I4 of the front section and thereby raise the band 20 of the rear section. It will also be observed from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2 that the buckle connections for the front and rear faces of the truss are well located at the front side thereof and such disposition of the buckle connections facilitates placement of the truss on the body of the wearer.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and use thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and.

scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim: In a truss of the character described, a front 'resilient section and a rear elastic section, each l5 ling position.

JOHN H. MERGEHENN. ADOLPH MERGEI-IENN. 

